Thread: Making a ghillie suit

Gidday team.

So I'm pondering about making a ghillie suit as simply put I don't trust the $50 TM ones.

So my thinking is for 2 meters of camo net from GC, some zip ties and brush from the local surroundings for Duckshooting I should be able to Jimmy something up.

Has anyone done this?

For a true ghillie suit, start with an overall, and sew a 1" or even 50mm net across the back. It's a laborious process to make one... They tend to snag, get as cumbersome as a dead pig when wet, and are definitely best used for going so slow that snails rush past you.

What they are really, really excellent for is scaring the living souls out of the neighborhood kids come Halloween...


You are on the right track, though - a net makes a great screen, and you can use it as a cape if you want to lie under it. I've never done this for duck hunting, though.

Edit: the commercial ghillie suits are variable. Some are utter crap, but some have potential as a good base for you to make it your own masterpiece.

Originally Posted by Rock river arms hunter

Gidday team.

So I'm pondering about making a ghillie suit as simply put I don't trust the $50 TM ones.

So my thinking is for 2 meters of camo net from GC, some zip ties and brush from the local surroundings for Duckshooting I should be able to Jimmy something up.

Has anyone done this?

ihave 2x no see me suits for some years -one of which is similar to the TM product . last time i donned it gooseshooting i got within 5m of mates who were oblivious to me until iwas asked over our radios WTF are you... when told FFS Iwas about to take a piss lucky it wasnt on you!

go to your local auto upholsterer or furniture repairer and see if theyve any old brown scrim cheap or take away. .or go to the second hand clothing stores and look for cheapo camo clothing (size immaterial ) right now take all this and rip it into assorted strips sdhapes and add a bit of artificial floristry if so desired.use this to decorate your hat ,old shirt /trou even making a few longer strips to decorate your shotty .

live brush twigs etc are bulky and a right b....d to attach ,plus when they die the colour fades and chances are itll make you stick out like a used condom in a nunnery. Iuse a lot of old tracksuit trou and tops for making shit for duck shooting including my own ninja balaclava and that bugger works . also both of my NSM 's came with fullhead camo another advantage.

ivew got camo nets for maimais and a camo car cover which is in the process of forming a large fly for my tent and living area whilst out shooting .

what is wrong with modern camo clothing -- ghillie suit very uncomfortable I would think-- plus if ya fall in with one on ya going under

I'm not sure it's worth the effort of making one, but can confirm they work well, both on game birds and kids at halloween. I've had pukekos within touching distance on a farm where you couldn't normally get within 100 metres of them. You need to be prepared to sit still for long periods of time. Make sure you are comfortable!

A good Ghillie can be made of a light cam shirt. Labour intensive but works. Get an old sack cut into strips and dye them in bunches of different colours. Then sew the strips onto the cam shirt using the shirt pattern as a template. Modern update would be use lighter material than sacking.

Whatever material you use, make sure it doesn't soak up water. That would be miserable on a wet day.

file:///C:/Users/wilfr/OneDrive/Pictures/328963111_732550938537197_1504951903246257361_n.jp g Worked for the parrys .

I've got a hand made one that you could probably have - but I'm in Timaru, how far south are you?

@Rock river arms hunter I've got a hand made one that you could probably have - but I'm in Timaru, how far south are you?

Overalls,scrim /burlap torn into strips,,cut up camo net and a hot glue gun.

Does army and outdoors still have them?

I made one when younger - took an old army surplus jacket, and sewed netting to the back and shoulders. Dyed strips of jute, brushed them out etc and tied to the netting. Did the same with a boonie hat. A lot of work. Heavy to wear, even when dry. Good fun to use sneaking up on rabbits etc. Wouldn't do it again like that. Nowadays you can get a lot of very realistic 3d looking tops/bottoms that you could enhance with realistic looking leaves etc made from synthetic material. Depends what you're trying to achieve I guess.

whatever you do do not wear one when after moose - there is nowt worse than an ol bull moose pissing on you or rubbing his bits on you bleieves youre a hunk of scrub designed to releive hisa itches etc .you have been warned .
seriously -if you get commercial ones it pays to get a set of braces or sew some elastic to the waist of the trou as they can drag if wet or in shitty areas!

Originally Posted by blip

Does army and outdoors still have them?

Originally Posted by kotuku

whatever you do do not wear one when after moose - there is nowt worse than an ol bull moose pissing on you or rubbing his bits on you bleieves youre a hunk of scrub designed to releive hisa itches etc .you have been warned .
seriously -if you get commercial ones it pays to get a set of braces or sew some elastic to the waist of the trou as they can drag if wet or in shitty areas!

Yes, Army & Outdoors still sell them. I have one. Good quality at a price. Like everything else, price has gone up significantly since I bought mine. They come with braces.